Economic independence for Armenian women

24 February 2015

The launch of the project called “Advancing Gender Equality and the Rights of Survivors of Gender-based Violence in Armenia” was held on 19 February 2015 at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Yerevan. This project is financed by the EU and is being implemented by the Near East Foundation UK and the Gegharkunik Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The main goals of the project are: to deliver economic development programmes that support gender equality and protect women against gender-based violence; to help survivors of violence to become a complete part of their community and be involved in community life; to provide women with the opportunity to work in or start their own small businesses.During the event Arpine Baghdoyan, the project’s director, presented its main foci and expected results: ‘For the implementation of the programme we have chosen four partner civil society organisations (CSOs): Women’s Support Centre, Spitak Helsinki Group, Women’s Resource Centre, and Goris Women’s Development Resource Centre Foundation. The target group of our project will be CSOs, 200 survivors of gender-based violence, 100 community members, and 80 employers of survivors. During the project, four CSOs will engage the public, support groups, employers and other market actors across many sectors in joint actions, dialogue and training around norms, safe workplaces and protection strategies linked to economic opportunities’.The Gegharkunik Chamber of Commerce and Industry is based in Gavar and aims to promote sustainable local economic development through market assessment. During the project it will provide business development, micro-credit and training to the beneficiaries of the project. Artyom Grigoryan, the Executive Director of the Gegharkunik Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the organisation had rich experience in implementing small business grants, and that its initial focus on Gegharkunik marz had now spread to almost all other marzes in Armenia: ‘We pay great attention to the issue of women’s employment – it is a particular problem in villages. While there are a lot of job opportunities in Yerevan, there are very few opportunities in rural areas. Our own experience shows that women, for example, not only come up with more successful business ideas, but also have the agency to make them a reality. After our different training courses we run, men generally write business concepts, which are more difficult to realise, whereas women always write realistic and small budget ideas which can easily be implemented’.The project named “Advancing Gender Equality and the Rights of Survivors of Gender-Based Violence in Armenia” will build commitment to preventing gender-based violence and promoting gender equality among community leaders and employers. Over a period of two years 200 survivors of gender-based violence will be offered assistance: 60 women will be offered tailored vocational training with accredited certificates; 120 will receive targeted business and financial support to start their own micro-businesses; 80 will be offered tailored employment development support. The project aims to increase confidence and self-reliance amongst survivors, so that they can then make and shape those choices that affect their lives positively.
The project is due to be completed by 20 January 2017, with an overall budget of €342,711. 95 percent of the budget is funded by the EU under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.

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